Key holder



Aug. 11, 1953 A. N. HANNA KEYHOLDER Filed March 30, 1950 INVENTOR ATTO N HANNA A TTOE/VEYS Patented Aug. 11, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KEY HOLDER Atto N. Hanna, Atlantic Highlands, N. J., assignor to A. N. Hanna 00., Inc., Atlantic Highlands, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 30, 1950, Serial No. 152,969

18 Claims.

The present invention relates to a novel construction for a key holder, and in particular to one which facilitates the replacement of keys in said holder.

Key holders of the type under discussion are in widespread use and are normally incorporated into a case or the like for appearances sake and to protect the pocket of the user from damage which is likely to be caused by the keys or the holder itself. If holders of this type are to perform their desired functions they must be capable of retaining the keys attached thereto in a positive manner and without risk of accidental displacement. They must also be so constructed that the keys can be removed from or replaced in the holder in a simple manner and without the necessity of using tools or exercising any appreciable manipulative skill. It is also essential, since these holders are normally inexpensive items, that the construction be such as to lend itself to low cost, mass production and yet be sturdy and effective for its desired functions.

lhe type of key holder to which this invention pertains is that in which the keys are not introduced directly into the holder but are first semipermanently attached to key carriers, the carriers being then securable to the holder in a readily releasable manner. To this end each carrier is provided with an enlarged tip and the holder is provided with a plurality of slots narrower than the tip of the carrier and provided with enlarged portions through which the tip of the carrier is passable. Means are provided for blocking and unblocking these enlarged slot portions at the will of the user, the carriers being retained on the holder when the enlarged slot portions are blocked and being removable from the holder when those enlarged slot portions are unblocked. Various structures have been devised in the past for alternately blocking and unblocking these enlarged slot portions but they have in the main been characterized by complexity of structure, difficulty in assembly, and clumsiness of manipulatability. It is a prime object of the present invention to devise a structure which materially improves on all of the above factors.

Insofar as simplicity of structure is concerned, the key holder of the present invention is composed of only two se1f-contained subassemblies, to wit, a housing and a retainer slide, which may be assembled together in operative relationship without the employment of any additional structure whatsoever and which are preferably secured together by the use of a single fastening 2 means such as an eyelet. The retainer slide subassembly is formed of a plurality of parts, but all of the parts thereof are simple, sturdy, and inexpensive.

The ease of assemblability of the structure of the present invention derives in part from the simplicity of the structure and also in large part from the fact that the two subassemblies fit together in a novel and advantageous manner. In particular, in key holders of this type it is generally deemed necessary to utilize a spring or other resilient means for holding the retainer slide in a position such that the enlargedslot portions are blocked, in order to preventun- Wanted separation of the key carriers from the holder. This spring is usually active .betweenthe retainer slide and the housing, and insofar as applicant is aware it has been necessary in the past to make the spring a separate unit which must b secured to or engaged with both the slide and the housing in the course of assembly of the holder. It is an exceedingly important feature of the present invention that, while a springis employed, it is carried solely by one of the subassemblies, here specifically illustrated as the retainer slide, the other subassembly so'interfitting with the first named subassembly that the very act of placing the two subassemblies together in operative relation will cause the spring to assume a position such that it can effectively perform its desired function. This feature materially simplifies the assembly operation, since during assembly there are no parts which tend to escape from their proper positions and hence no skill or excessive care are required on the part of the person performing the assembly operation.

Insofar as manipulatability is concerned, a prime drawback of the prior art devices resided in the fact that, when the retainer slide was moved against the reaction of the spring to a position in which the enlarged slot portions were unblocked, it had to be manually retained in that position. This left only one hand of the user free to remove or replace key carriers, and the 5 hand which held the retainer slide in position against the action of the spring also had to sup-.

port the entire key holder and hold it steady so that the enlarged tip of the key carriers could be threaded into and out of the enlarged slot portions. In order to avoid this marked disadvantage, I have provided on the retainer slide an articulately mounted stop which, when the slide is moved to a position in which the enlarged slot portions are unblocked, may be engaged with the housing so as to hold the slide in that position against the tension of the spring, thus freeing both hands of the user for manipulation of the key carriers as desired. When the enlarged slot portions are to be blocked again it is merely necessary to move this stop to a position in which it no longer engages the housing, the spring then being active to move the slide to its blocking position, the stop moving freely with respect to the housing so as to offer no opposition to the action of the spring.

In the construction here disclosed the spring itself, carried solely by one of the subassemblies, will effectively prevent motion of the slide to an undesired degree. However, it is usually preferred to employ some positive means for limiting the motion of the slide between its blocking and unblocking positions, and according to the present invention the same element which secures the two subassemblies in assembled condition, to wit, an eyelet or the like, will also serve to positively limit the freedom of motion of the retainer slide relative to the housing to its desired degree. This use of a single and simple structure to perform a multiplicity of functions adds materially to the simplicity and inexpensiveness of the described structure.

To the accomplishment of the above objects, and to such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to a key holder structure as defined in the appended claims and as described in this specification taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the holder of the present invention as incorporated into a leather key case, the retainer slide being in its blocking position;

Fig. 2 is an end view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view of the key holder housing;

Fig. 6 is an end cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of the holder of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale, but showing the retainer slide held in its unblocking position;

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of a key carrier adapted to be used with the holder of the present invention; and

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional View of the key carrier taken along the line 99 of Fig. 8.

Broadly considered the key holder of the present invention comprises two subassemblies defined by a housing generally designated A and a retainer slide generally designated B, a plurality of key carriers C to which keys are adapted to be semi-permanently secured being removable from or replaceable in the housing A, said removal or replacement being permitted or prevented by the position of the retainer slide B relative to the housing A. A means generally designated D is provided which tends to hold the slide B in a position such that removal or replacement of key carriers C is prevented, the slide B being movable against the action of the means D to a position in which such removal or replacement is permitted and being retainable in that latter position against the action of the first means D through the engagement of a second means generally designated E with the housing A. If desired, a third means generally designated F may be provided for positively limiting 4 the degree of motion of the slide B with respect to the housing A.

The housing A is preferably formed of a single sheet of structural material such as steel which has a bottom wall 2 adapted to be secured to a foldable casing 4 of leather or the like by means of eyelets 6 passing through apertures 8 therein. Integral with the bottom wall 2 is a reversely, and preferably arcuately, bent end wall l0 which merges into a top Wall 12 overlying the bottom wall 2 and spaced therefrom by a depending fiange M. A passage I8 is thus defined between a portion of the bottom wall 2, the end wall l0 and the top wall 12, that passage 16 having a generally circular cross section adjacent to the end wall Ill and having a rectangular cross section between the bottom wall 2 and the top wall I2.

The housing walls, and preferably the end wall I0 and part of the bottom wall 2, are provided with a plurality of peripheral slots l8 generally of a narrow Width but having, preferably at their ends on the bottom wall 2, enlarged slot portions 20.

The key carrier C is usually in the from of a closed loop 22 of some stiff but resilient metal, the loop having an upwardly projecting shank 24 terminating in an enlarged tip 26. The other end 28 of the loop 22 is normally pressed against the shank 24 by the inherent resilience of the material of which the carrier C is made but is movable away therefrom so as to open the loop 22 when it is desired to remove or replace a key upon the carrier C, the loop 22 passing through the aperture in the key body. In order to make for a smooth joint between the tip 28 and the shank 24, the shank 24 usually having a circular cross section because the key carrier customarily is made from wire stock, the tip 28 is provided with an arcuate cross section, as best shown in Fig. 9.

The width of the slots [8 is such that the shank 24 of the key carrier C is freely passable therethrough, but its enlarged tip 26 is not passable therethrough, that enlarged tip 25 being passable through the enlarged slot portion 20. Since those enlarged slot portions 20 are on the bottom wall 2 of the housing A the key carriers C when normally suspended from the key holder as illustrated in Fig. 1, will remain secured thereto.

However, it would be possible, if the key holder were shaken or jarred, for the enlarged tips 26 of the carrier C to accidentally work their way out through the enlarged slot portions 20 in the housing A and thus become detached from the holder. To prevent that except when removal of key carriers C is specifically desired, the retainer slide B is provided, that slide being defined by a sheet of structural material such as metal or the like which is housed within the passage l6 and which is slidable therewithin between a first position in which it effectively blocks the enlarged slot portions 20 and a second position in which those enlarged slot portions 20 are unblocked. The body portion 30 of the slide B slides within that part of the passage I6 which has a rectangular cross section. A plurality of appropriately shaped elements 32 project upwardly from the body portion 30 into that portion of the passage [5 which has a circular cross section, these elements 30 coming into registration with and thus blocking the enlarged slot portions 20 when the retainer slide B is in one position relative to the housing A (see Figs. 1 and 3) and moving out of registration with the enlarged slot portions 20 so as to unblock those slot portions when the retainer slide B is moved to a second position relative to the housing A (see Fig. '7). When the retainer slide is in its first position those key carriers C which are already secured to the housing A cannot become unsecured therefrom and no new key carrier C can be secured thereto. When the retainer slide B is in its second position key carriers C can be removed from or secured to the housing A as desired.

In order to further insure against accidental disengagement of key carriers C, the first means D is provided which tends to hold the retainer slide B in the position in which the elements 32 are in registration with and block the enlarged slot portions 23, this position being considered the normal position of the retainer slide B because it is in that position that the slide B is usually held. The first means D is in the form of a spring 34 which, according to one feature of the present invention, is mounted on and carried solely by one of the two individual subassemblies, and as here specifically disclosed is mounted on and'carried solely by the retainer slide B. The body portion of that slide is provided with a slot 35 having fingers 33, 48 projecting inwardly from opposite ends thereof. The spring 34 is of the coil type and is received in the slot 36, being retained therein by encompassing the fingers 38 and 4 73. Since the body portion 3b of the slide B is relatively thin, portions of the spring 34 will extend beyond the top and bottom surfaces of the body portion 30, as may best be seen in Figs. 2 and 4. One wall, here shown as the bottom wall 2. of the housing A is provided with a recess 42 of approximately the same length as the spring 34 and so positioned that when the retainer slide B is in its normal position the spring 34 will be in registra tion therewith and that portion of the spring 34 which extends beyond the lower surface of the body portion 30 of the slide B will fit thereinto. The top wall l2 of the housing A will prevent the spring 34 or the retainer slide B from moving upwardly to any appreciable extent and consequently, whenever the slide B is moved from its normal :position, one end or the other of the spring 34 will be brought into engagement with an end wall 44 (see Figs. 6 and 7) of the recess 42, the spring 34 then being compressed and hence resisting motion of the slide B away from its normal position. The length of the fingers 38 and 44 is so chosen that motion of the slide B from its normal position to a second position in which the enlarged slot portions 2!! are unblocked will not cause the spring 34 to become separated from the fingers 38 and 43 (see Fig. 7).

In order to retain the slide B in its second position, in which the elements 32 are moved out of registration with the enlarged slot portions 213 so as to unblock the latter, a second means E is employed, this means comprising a stop element having a body 45 mounted on an upstanding lip 48 at one end of the slide body portion 34 so as to be rotatable about an axis parallel to the direction of movement of the slide B, this body 48 being freely slidable through the portion of the passage l6 having a circular cross section and having an end defined by a knurled flange 5 extending out from the passage it so as to be graspable. A protrusion or finger 52 is provided on the side of the body 46, that protrusion 52 being receivable inside the passage it when the retainer slide B is in its normal position (see Fig. 3). However, when the retainer slide B is moved to its second or unblocked position, as shown in Fig.

7, theprotrusion 52 is moved out of the passage l6, and rotation of the body 46 will cause that protrusion 52 to engage a side edge 54 of the end wall I!) of the housing A, and so long as it remains in that position relative to the slide B it will act as a positive stop preventing movement of the slide B back to its normal blocking position as urged by the spring 34.

It will be noted that the knurled flange 50 defines a graspable handle which, when pulled out, draws the slide B from its normal blocking position to its second and unblocking position, and which when rotated after having been drawn out moves the protrusion 52 from its inoperative position in line with the passage Hi to its operative stopping position engageable with the edge 54 of theend wall 10 of the housing A.

It will also be apparent that when the protrusion 52 is in its operative position the slide B will be held in its unblocking position so that both hands of the user will be free for removing or replacing key carriers C as desired.

Although the resistance of the spring 34 to compression will in and of itself prevent undue motion of the slide B relative to the housing A, it is nevertheless desirable in most applications that some more positive means be provided to perform that function. Moreover, while the inherent rigidity of the housing A may suffice to maintain the top wall l2 in proper position relative to the bottom Wall 2 of the housing A, it is preferred in most applications that some more positive structure be provided to ensure the achievement of that result, particularly when it is realized that the action of the spring 34 depends upon a portion of that spring being retained in the recess 42. In the structure here disclosed a single member performs both of these functions, that member defining the third means F and taking the form of an eyelet, rivet or the like 56 extending between the top and bottom walls l2 and 2 of the housing A so as to secure those walls in proper spatial relationship and passing through that portion of thepassage [6 which has a rectangular cross section. The body 300i the slide B is provided with a slot 58 through which the eyelet 53 is passable, the length of the slot 58 being such that the slide B can move between its normal blocking position and its second unblocking position but cannot move much beyond either of those positions.

The assembly of the thus constructed holder is quite simplified. The housing A is stamped or out from any appropriate sheet material and the end wall In thereof is reversely bent almost, but not quite, to the position which it assumes in the finished product. The retainer slide B is cut or punched from appropriate sheet material, the stop 46 is secured thereto, and the spring 34 is placed in position in the slot 36. The slide B carrying the stop E and the spring 34 is then placed on top of the bottom wall 2 so that a part of the spring 34 is received within the recess 42 in the bottom wall 2. This operation is a simple one, and is permitted by the fact that the end wall I!) of the housing A has not yet been reversely bent to its full extent. Once the slide B has been placed in position the end wall In is then bent to its final position, as by pressing downwardly on the top wall !2 until the depending flange l4 engages the upper surface of the bottom wall '2, the eyelet 56 is passed through the slot 58 in .the slide'B. and has its ends spun over so as to retain the top and bottom walls l2 and 2 respectively in their proper relationship, and the assembly of the device is completed. It will be noted particularly that because the spring 34 is carried directly by the slide B, and consequently need not be manipulated or held in position by the operator during the assembly step, ease of assembly is greatly enhanced.

The resultant structure is sturdy and inexpensive. It is positive in operation, since any motion of the slide B away from its blocking position is resisted by the spring 34. However, when removal or replacement of key carrier C is desired, a single easily accessible handle may be grasped and manipulated so that the slide is not only moved to its second and unblocking position but is also held in that position for as long as desired, thus freeing both hands of the user and rendering the device considerably more easily operable. After removal or replacement of the key carrier C has been completed, the same easily accessible handle may be rotated so as to render the stop inoperative, at which time the spring 34 will automatically move the slide B back to its blocking position.

The recess 42 into which the spring 34 fits is here shown solely in the bottom wall 2 of the housing A. This construction is preferred in order not to mar the uniform appearance of the key holder when viewed from the front and in order not to interfere with the tendency of the key carriers C to lie fiat and snugly against the housing. However, if desired, the recess 42 could be in the top wall [2 of the housing A, or in both the top and bottom walls I2 and 2. It would also be possible to reverse the relationship between the slide B and the spring 34, by mounting the spring 34 on the housing A so as to engage in a recess or slot in the slide B when that slide is placed in proper position with respect to the housing A, this being a mere reversal of arrangement from that specifically disclosed. The significant factor insofar as this feature of the invention is concerned is that the spring 34 be carried solely by one of the subassemblies and be cooperable with the other when the subassemblies are appropriately positioned.

Many other variations may be made in the specific disclosure without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the followin claims.

I claim:

1. A key holder comprising a housing having a passage and a plurality of peripheral slots communicating with said passage, each of said slots having an enlarged portion through which a part of a key carrier is insertable, a retainer slide movable in said passage and carrying a plurality of elements movable into and out of registration with the enlarged portions of said slots so as to block and unblock said enlarged portions, first means active on said slide to tend to hold it in one position in said passage, and second means on said slide to retain it against the action of said first means in another position, said second means being articulately mounted on said slide so as to be movable between an inoperative position disengaged from said housing and an operative position engaged with an edge of said housing.

2. A key holder comprising a housing having a passage and a plurality of peripheral slots communicating said said passage, each of said slots having an enlarged portion through which a part of a key carrier is insertable, a retainer slide movable in said passage and carrying a plurality of elements movable into and out of registration with the enlarged portions of said slots so as to block and unblock said enlarged portions, first means active on said slide to tend to hold it in one position in said passage in which said elements block said enlarged slot portions, and second means on said slide to retain it against the action of said first means in another position in which said elements unblock said enlarged slot portions, said second means being articulately mounted on said slide so as to be movable between an inoperative position disengaged from said housing and an operative position engaged with an edge of said housing.

3. A key holder comprising a housing having a passage and a plurality of peripheral slots communicating with said passage, each of said slots having an enlarged portion through which a part of a key carrier is insertable, a retainer slide movable in said passage and carrying a plurality of elements movable into and out of registration with the enlarged portions of said slots so as to block and unblock said enlarged portions, first means active on said slide to tend to hold it in one position in said passage, and second means on said slide to retain it in another position, said second means being articulately mounted on said slide so as to be movable between an inoperative position in said passage and disengaged from said housing and an operative position engaging said housing.

4. The key holder of claim 3 in which said second means projects out from said passage, thereby defining a graspable handle by manipulation of which the slide may be moved relative to said housing between said one and another positions and said second means may be independently moved relative to said slide between its operative and inoperative positions.

5. A key holder comprising a housing having a passage and a plurality of peripheral slots communicating with said passage, each of said slots having an enlarged portion through which a part of a key carrier is insertable, a retainer slide movable in said passage and carrying a plurality of elements which, in the normal position of said slide, are in registration with said enlarged slot portions so as to block said portions, a spring active on said slide so as to resist motion of said slide out of said normal position and into a second position in which said elements are out of registration with said enlarged slot portions, and a stop element articulately mounted on said slide, said stop including a protrusion engageable with said housing so as to retain said slide in said second position, said protrusion being received within said passage when said slide is in its normal position and being movable with respect to said slide to engage said housing when said slide is moved to its second position.

6. The key holder of claim 5 in which said stop element comprises a body having an end extending out of said passage, said body being mounted on said slide so as to be rotatable about an axis parallel to the direction of motion of said slide, the extending end of said body defining a graspable handle by manipulation of which the slide may be moved relative to said housing and the protrusion may be moved relative to said slide.

7. A key holder comprising a housing having a passage and a plurality of peripheral slots communicating with said passage, each of said slots having an enlarged portion through which a part of a key carrier is insertable, a retainer slide movable in said passage and carrying a plurality of elements movable into and out of registration with the enlarged portions of said slots so as to block and unblock said enlarged portions, a spring carried and held in position solely by said slide, portions of said slide being positioned beyond and opposite each end of said spring so as to prevent said spring from sliding off said slide, said housing having a recess registrable with said spring, a portion of said spring extending beyond the surface of said slide and fitting into said recess, whereby, when said slide is moved from the position in. which the spring carried thereby is in registration with said recess, a portion of said spring will engage the interior of said recess, said spring thereby offering resilient resistance to movement of said slide.

8. A key holder comprising a housing having a passage and a plurality of peripheral slots communicating with said passage, each of said slots having an enlarged portion through which a part of a key carrier is insertable, a retainer slide movable in said passage and carrying a plurality of elements movable into and out of registration with the enlarged portions of said slots so as to block and unblock said enlarged portions, said slide having a slot, a spring carried and held in position solely by said slide in said slot, both ends of said spring being secured in said slot, said housing having a recess registrable with said spring, a portion of said spring extending beyond the surface of said slide and fitting into said recess, whereby, when said slide is moved from the position in which the spring carried thereby is in registration with said recess, a portion of said spring will engage the interior of said recess, said spring thereby ofiering resilient resistance to movement of said slide.

9. A key holder comprising a housing having a passage and a plurality of peripheral slots communicating with said passage, each of said slots having an enlarged portion through which a part of a key carrier is insertable, a retainer slide movable in said passage and carrying a plurality of elements movable into and out of registration with the enlarged portions of said slots so as to block and unblock said enlarged portions, said slide having a slot, fingers at each end of said slot extending thereinto, a coil spring mounted on said fingers and carried and held in position solely by said slide, said housing having a recess registrable with said spring, a portion of said spring extending beyond the surface of said slide and fitting into said recess, whereby, when said slide is moved from the position in which the spring carried thereby is in registration with said recess, a portion of said spring will engage the interior of said recess, said spring thereby ofiering resilient resistance to movement of said slide.

10. The key holder of claim 7 in which said housing has a back wall, said recess being in said back wall.

11. The key holder of claim 8 in which said housing has a back wall, said recess being in said back wall.

12. The key holder of claim 9 in which said housing has a back wall, said recess being in said back wall.

13. A key holder comprising a housing having a passage and a plurality of peripheral slots communicating with said passage, each of said slots having an enlarged portion through which in position solely by said slide, portions of said slide being positioned beyond and opposite each end of said spring so as to prevent said spring from sliding off said slide, said housing having a recess registrable with said spring when said slide is in its normal position, a portion of said spring extending beyond the surface of said slide and fitting into said recess, said spring engaging the interior of said recess when said slide is moved out of its normal position and into a second position in which said elements are out of registration with said enlarged slot portions, said spring thus resisting displacement of said slide from its normal position, and a stop element articulately mounted on said slide, said stop including a protrusion engageable with said housing so as to retain said slide in said second position, said protrusion being received within said passage when said slide is in its normal position and being movable with respect to said slide to engage said housing when said slide is moved to its second position.

14. The key holder of claim 13, in which said stop element projects out from said passage, thereby defining a graspable handle by manipulation of which the slide may be moved relative to said housing between its normal and second positions and the protrusion may be moved relative to said slide between its operative and inoperative positions.

15. A key holder comprising a housing having a passage and a plurality of peripheral slots communicating with said passage, each of said slots having an enlarged portion through which a part of a key carrier is insertable, a retainer slide movable in said passage and carrying a plurality of elements movable into and out of registration with the enlarged portions of said slots so as to block and unblock said enlarged portions, a spring carried and held in position solely by said slide, portions of said slide being positioned beyond and opposite each end of said spring so as to prevent said spring from sliding off said slide, said spring being engageable with said housing when said slide is moved from a predetermined position so as to resist said motion, and a stop element articulately mounted on said slide, said stop including a protrusion engageable with said housing so as to retain said slide in a position other than said predetermined position, said protrusion being received within said passage when said slide is in its predetermined position and being movable with respect to said slide to engage said housing when said slide is moved to said position other than said predetermined position.

16. A key holder comprising a housing and a retainer slide, said housing comprising a bottom wall, a reversely bent end wall, and a top wall overlying said bottom wall but spaced therefrom, a passage being defined thereby, said housing Walls including a plurality of peripheral slots communicating with said passage, each of said slots having an enlarged portion through which a part of a key carrier is insertable, said retainer slide being movably mounted in said passage and carrying a plurality of elements which, when said slide is in its normal position, are in registration with the enlarged slot portions so as to block said enlarged slot portions, and a spring carried and held in position solely by said slide and extending beyond the surface thereof, portions of said slide being positioned beyond and opposite each end of said spring so as to prevent said spring from sliding off said slide, the bottom wall of said housing at the undersurface of said passage having a recess into which a portion of said spring is received when said slide is in its normal position, whereby, when said slide is moved from its normal position, a portion of said spring will engage the interior of said recess, said spring thereby offering resilient resistance to movement of said slide.

17. A key holder comprising a housing and a retainer slide, said housing comprising a bottom wall, a reversely bent end wall, and a top wall overlying said bottom wall but spaced therefrom, a passage being defined thereby, said housing walls including a plurality of peripheral slots communicating with said passage, each of said slots having an enlarged portion through which a part of a key carrier is insertable, said retainer slide being movably mounted in said passage and carrying a plurality of elements which, when said slide is in its normal position, are in registration with the enlarged slot portons so as to block said enlarged slot portions, a pair of oppositely directed fingers on said slide, a spring mounted on and between said fingers so as to be secured to said slide thereby, said spring extending beyond the surface thereof, the bottom wall of said housing having a recess at the undersurface of said passage into which a portion of said spring is received when said slide is in its normal position, whereby, when said slide is moved from its normal position, a portion of said spring will engage the interior of said recess, said spring thereby offering resilient resistance to movement of said slide, and a stop element articulately mounted on said slide, said stop including a protrusion engageable with said housing so as to retain said slide in a second position against the action of said spring in which said elements are out of registration with said enlarged slot portions, said protrusion being received within said passage when said slide is in its normal position and being movable with respect to said slide to engage said housing when said slide is moved to its second position.

18. The key holder of claim 17, in which said stop element projects out from said passage, thereby defining a graspable handle by manipulation of which the slide may be moved relative to said housing between its normal and second positions and the protrusion may be moved relative to said slide between its operative and inoperative positions.

ATTO N. HANNA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,908,846 Howe May 16, 1933 1,959,207 Howe May 15, 1934 2,114,172 Boden Apr. 12, 1938 2,201,833 Koelling May 21, 1940 2,201,850 Dawson, Jr May 21, 1940 2,407,153 Hanna Sept. 3, 1946 

